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What to Do in Waterville

An impressive collection at Colby College Museum of Art; the Waterville theater scene

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Updated: 11:45 AM EST Nov 10, 2015

What to Do in Waterville

An impressive collection at Colby College Museum of Art; the Waterville theater scene

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Updated: 11:45 AM EST Nov 10, 2015

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WEBVTT REPORTER: IN THE HEART OF WATERVILLE, THE ELEGANT CAMPUS OF COLBY COLLEGE, A PRIVATE LIBERAL ARTS SCHOOL FOR 1,8 -- FOR 1,800 STUDENT, COLBY HAS LONG BEEN A PIONEER. IN 1871 IT WAS THE FIRST ALL-MALE COLLEGE IN NEW ENGLAND TO ADMIT WOMEN. AND IN 198 3 IT WAS THE FIRST CLUM COLLEGE TO ISSUE EMAIL ACCOUNTS TO ALL STUDENTS. TODAY THE COLBY COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT. I THINK IT S REALLY IS ONE OF THE GREAT ART MUSEUMS IN THE COUNTRY. REPORTER: THE COLLEGE WAS OVERJOYED WHEN AN ALUM AND HIS WIFE DONATED 500 WORK WORKS OF ART, WORTH MORE THAN $100 MILLION, TO THE 56-YEAR-OLD MUSEUM. SHARON IS DIRECTOR AND CHIEF CURATOR. THEY HAVE ONE OF THE GREATEST COLLECTIONS OF AMERICAN ART IN THE WORLD AND THEY REALLY RECOGNIZE WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT COULD MAKE AT COLBY AND TO THE STATE OF MAINE. REPORTER: THE 38,000 SQUARE FOOT MUSEUM IS NOW THE LARGEST ART MUSEUM IN MAINE. ARTISTS HAVE ALWAYS FLOCKED TO MAINE. AND SO I THINK THIS MUSEUM DREW UPON THAT FOUNDATION AND THAT HISTORY. REPORTER: THE MUSEUM'S 9,000 WORKS INCLUDE THE ART OF WILLIAM MERIT CHASE, GEORGIA O'KIEFFE AND ED MONDAY TARBELL. HERE IN THE GLEAMING NEW LONDONER FAMILY PAVILLON, SPANISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS STUDY BY CONTEMPORARY WORKS. OUR PROFILE HAS REALLY RISEN AND I THINK WE NOW HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE LOOKING AT COLBY AS A PLACE TO STUDY THE ARTS. ALSO, I THINK WE'RE AFFECTING AND REALLY IMPACTING STUDENTS FROM A RANGE OF DISCIPLINES. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU NOTICE? REPORTER: SOME EXHIBITS ARE LARGE. TAKE THESE 300 ETCHINGS, LEGITIMATE GRAPHS AND PAINTINGS BY JAMES MCNEIL WHISTLER. OTHER GEMS STAND ALONE, SUCH AS THIS 1881 PAINTING BY JOHN GEORGE BROWN CALLED "WATCHING THE CIRCUS." ADMISSION IS FREE HERE FOR THE MUE MEME HE IS -- FOR THE MUSEUM'S $5 -- 50,000 ANNUAL VISITORS. COLBY IS SUCH A STRONG PARTNER. FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SERVE OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY IN SUCH A STRONG WAY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR MISSION. AND WE TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY. REPORTER: THE COLLEGE IS ALSO MAKING A MARK OFF CAMPUS. COLBY'S FUTURE IS TIED IN WITH WATERVILLE. REPORTER: IN THE LATE 1890'S AND LATER AGAIN DURING THE DEPRESSION, WATERVILLE RESIDENTS RAISED MONEY FOR THE COLLEGE TO KEEP IT FROM MOVING TO A BIGGER CITY. TODAY THE SCHOOL IS RETURNING THE FAVOR. COLBY IS PUTTING IN MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR INVESTMENTS DOWNTOWN. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WILL BE THE HOUSING OF STUDENTS DOWNTOWN. BRINGING BACK THE LIVELYNESS IS GOING TO HAVE A REREFRESHVATING EFFECT WITH ALL OF THE SMALL BUSINESS HERE -- REVERBERATING EFFECT WITH ALL THE SMALL BUSINESSES HERE. THAT COULD MEAN AN EXTRA BOOST FOR THE CITY'S PERFORMING ARTS SCENE WHICH IS ALREADY BUZZING. REPORTER: SINCE IT OPENED IN 1902, CITY HALL HAS DOUBLED AS THE WATERVILLE OPERA HOUSE. WHERE DO WE STAND WITH LIGHTS RIGHT NOW? REPORTER: THE OPERA HOUSE'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. THE FUNNY STORY IS THERE'S NO OPERA HERE EXCEPT FOR THE LIVES FROM THE MET BROADCAST WE DO ON SATURDAY. BUT THEY'VE NEVER ACTUALLY HAD REAL OPERA ON THE OPERA HOUSE STAGE. PROBABLY FOR NEARLY 100 YEARS. REPORTER: BUT MUSIC IS IMPORTANT TO THE THEATER. THE OPERA HOUSE RECENTLY PUT ON A PERFORMANCE OF THE BROADWAY MUSICAL "SHRKE -- "SHREK." TONIGHT THE CAST PREPS FOR A REHEARSAL OF THE "ROCKY HORROR SHOW." WE LOVE IT AND TRUST EACH OTHER. IT'S JUST A SOLID CORE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT LOVES TO PERFORM. WE HAVE HAD CASTS AS LARGE AS 70 AND AS SMALL AS FOUR. THEY'RE PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY. THE MUSICIANS, THE DIRECTORS, THE DESIGNERS AND THE PERFORMERS. FROM TICKET SALES ALONE WE GET ABOUT 50% OF OUR REVENUE, SO REST OF IT IS ALL DONE WITH DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDRAISING. THAT'S THE CHALLENGE. REPORTER: WATERVILLE'S TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITY IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE RESOURCES THAT SURROUND IT AND SUPPORT IT. SAYS THE LIE BREARN. WATERVILLE REALLY IS A TOWN THAT VALUES THE CREATIVE EXPRESSION OF HUMANS IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT FORMATS. I THINK THAT'S A VALUE THAT WE'VE ALWAYS HELD AND WE'RE JUST REALLY BEING ABLE TO MANIFEST IT NOW IN NEW WAYS. J.C.: THEY HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT WHO IS REALLY ACTIVE IN HELPING REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN AND ALSO CONNECT THE STUDENTS WITH DOWNTOWN. ANTHONY: ALWAYS IMPORTANT IN A COLLEGE TOWN TO HAVE CONNECTION TO THE TOWN ITSELF. IT IS A GREEN SPIRIT WITH A RATHER INTRIGUING HISTORY. IT HAS A REAL CONSULT FOLLOWING.

What to Do in Waterville

An impressive collection at Colby College Museum of Art; the Waterville theater scene